The Roosevelt Network 14th Anniversary

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Fourteen years ago, a group of students recognized something important: who writes the rules matters. They dreamed of a world where voices from communities historically left out of the policy process would be instrumental in orchestrating their own futures. With this vision, the Roosevelt Network was founded.

Over the last 14 years, the reach of the Network has grown to over 130 college campuses in nearly 40 states across the country. Our work has helped reinstate the right to vote for 1.4 million formerly incarcerated Floridians, successfully fought against the privatization of campus jobs, provided menstrual hygiene products to students free of charge, lowered the cost of campus health care — and that was all in the last year alone.

However, the Network’s impact is not just about rewriting the rules — it is also about building collective power. Our people have always been our power, and every one of us shares one thing: we are Roosevelters. So today, on our 14th birthday, we want to celebrate what it means to be part of a network like ours — one made of people dispersed across all geographies, current students and young professionals alike, with experiences as diverse as the country we live in. To do that, we’d like you to share what being aRoosevelter means to you by posting with the hashtag: #RooImpact. We’ll be sharing your pictures and stories throughout the day on our Twitter, @VivaRoosevelt.

Thank you for believing in the power that we all have, together, to rewrite the rules. Regardless of the challenges ahead, the future belongs to us.